The Risks of Early Childhood
Taking risks is one way that children learn. But when they see their parents as unreliable, it can cause children to take fewer risks in early childhood.
Resources
Kids who feel their parents are less reliable take fewer risks vital to learning and growth (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Separation Anxiety
Dropping children off at child care for the first time can be anxiety provoking but separation anxiety is normal. A little planning will help reduce that feeling for everyone.
Resources
Separation Anxiety (Nemours Kids health)
Separation Anxiety Disorder in Children (Stanford Medicine)
The COVID Word Gap
During the worst of the pandemic, early childhood educators were on the front lines. Even when many parents were scared to send their children, the child care providers stayed open and kept children healthy and safe. New research indicates something more – the children were still learning.
Resources
Public vs. Private
We’ve seen improvements around children’s health insurance coverage thanks to public plans like “Maryland’s Children Health Insurance Program.” However, there’s still a lot of kids in America who have inadequate coverage.
Resources
Millions of Kids in U.S. Have Inadequate Health Coverage (Columbia University)
Maryland's Children's Health Program MCHP (Maryland Department of Health)
Child Care Scholarship: It Works
The benefits of child care and early education are indisputable. Unfortunately, the high cost of child care is equally undeniable. Child care subsidies or scholarships can help make that care affordable and accessible for families. The research backs this up.
Resources
50 years later
Do you want stronger communities? Make them all about the children. That’s the advice from Virginia Tech researchers. Listen for more details!
Resources
Eminent Scientists Say a Child Centric Approach is the Blueprint to Improve Communities (VA Tech)
The Carolina Abecedarian Project (The Abecedarian Project)
Healthy Food Leads to Healthy Kids
When young children have meals and snacks included as part of their child care program, they're more likely to be in good health and less likely to be admitted after a hospital emergency department visit than children whose meals and snacks are provided from home. This is according to a new study from Boston University. Listen and learn more.
Resources
Child Care Feeding Programs Associated With Food Security and Health for Young Children From Families With Low Incomes (Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
Ensuring Children and Adults Have Access to Nutritious Meals and Snacks (USDA)
Thankful for an Early Childhood
Thanksgiving is here! Let’s take a minute to be grateful for how we’ve made Maryland a better place for young children.
Resources
Our Accomplishments (MFN)
Learn to Play, Play to Learn
The job of children is to play. It’s how they learn. Study after study confirms this. Now new research from Middlesex University says that the reason young children learn through play is that their brains are actually designed that way.
Resources
MDX academic book reveals massive benefit of play on child development (Middlesex University)
Again! Again! Here's why toddlers love to do things on repeat (NPR)
Play Researcher (Kathy Hirsh Pasek)
Early and Warm Relationships
Just how important is a child’s relationship with their parents? Well, if you’ve listened to this show at all, you already know the answer is – very. A new study suggests a strong early bond between parent and child increases the likelihood that children will grow up to be kind and empathetic toward others.
Resources
How Children Develop Empathy (Psych Central)
Young children who are close to their parents are more likely to grow up kind, helpful and ‘prosocial’ (University of Cambridge)
Children Who Are Close To Their Parents Are Kinder, Study Finds (Forbes)